Clos du Chêne Vert AOC 2011

Wine Description for Clos du Chêne Vert AOC 2011 by Charles Joguet

Colour & Appearance

A transparent garnet red with brick-coloured rim – the patina of eleven years displays itself elegantly in the glass and reveals the advanced maturity of this classic Loire Cabernet Franc.

Nose

Charming and sensual, the bouquet unfolds with hints of dark berries and red plums, played upon by tobacco, leather and violets. Remarkable is the mineral note of crushed limestone, accompanied by undergrowth, a whisper of iron and blood, as well as a trace of ink – the classic profile of a mature Chinon.

Palate

On the palate, an impressive breadth and depth unfolds, as if grand hall doors were opening. Everything comes together nobly and harmoniously: melting aromatic tannins, a hint of fruit, much of the typical sous-bois (forest floor), the characteristic iron of mature Cabernets, as well as foliage and leaf. A complex, perfectly balanced wine of great pleasure.

Terroir & Origin

The Clos du Chêne Vert lies on the right bank of the Vienne near Chinon on a two-hectare, steep vineyard site with southern exposure. Named after a monumental oak from the 12th century, it rests on clay, light gravel soils and deep-lying limestone – a terroir combination that lends this wine its mineral precision.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Cabernet Franc pure, with ten days of cool pre-fermentation at 10 °C and four weeks of maceration in wooden vats at a maximum of 21 °C. Following assemblage comes malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels (one-fifth new each year), 15-16 months of oak ageing, six months in tank for harmonisation.

Food Pairing Recommendations

An ideal companion to game dishes such as venison loin or venison ragout, to braised lamb, duck breast with mushrooms or to robust hard cheeses such as Comté or aged Gouda.

Special Features

The 2011 exemplifies how elegantly Cabernet Franc from the Loire can mature – a wine by Charles Joguet, one of the pioneers of modern Chinon, at its optimal drinking window.